Steve O'Rourke named PWHL Seattle's first-ever head coach

PWHL announces Seattle expansion

The Professional Women's Hockey League is coming to Seattle, with the Emerald City joining Vancouver, B.C. in an expansion of the six-team league.

SEATTLE - PWHL Seattle named Steve O'Rourke as its first-ever head coach on Friday, ahead of its inaugural season.

O'Rourke has ties to the Pacific Northwest as a former Tri-City Americans defenseman, and brings over 15 years of coaching experience to Climate Pledge Arena.

West Coast return

O'Rourke, a Summerland, BC, native, played two seasons with the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He was also selected by the New York Islanders in the 1992 NHL Draft while playing for the Americans.

"Being from the West and having played hockey in Washington State, I’ve seen first-hand how much the game has grown in this region," said O'Rourke in a statement. "The passion and support for hockey here is real, and I’m proud to now be part of it in a new way.

The backstory:

After his 14-year playing career, O'Rourke began building his coaching resume. He spent six seasons with the Prince George Cougars of the WHL as an associate coach and director of player development. 

O'Rourke also served as an assistant coach for Canada's Team Red at the 2019-20 World U-17 Hockey Challenge.

He most recently spent two and a half seasons with the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League as an assistant coach for two years before being promoted to head coach for the 2024-25 season.

O'Rourke was relieved of head coaching duties by the Oshawa Generals in December. He is the first member of the coaching staff to be named to PWHL Seattle.

PWHL Seattle taking shape

Dig deeper:

The inaugural roster of PWHL Seattle continues to expand, with former Montréal Victoire forward, Mikyla Grant-Mentis, signing a two-year deal with PWHL Seattle earlier this morning. 

O'Rourke will have plenty of options to experiment with when building his first two lines, including four-time Olympian Hilary Knight. Knight was signed as PWHL Seattle's first-ever player in the expansion draft two weeks ago, from the Boston Fleet. 

PWHL Seattle will participate in its first PWHL Draft on Tuesday, June 24, where the team will make six total picks, including the eighth overall selection.  

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